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Meanwhile in Osaka… semi truck drives 1.2 KM with no driver!

It’s amazing that the truck made it 1.2 kilometers with no driver before crashing!

A semi-trailer sped along a highway without a driver for 1.2 kilometers in Shijonawate, Osaka, on Tuesday morning.

 
The 67-year-old driver of the semi-trailer was quoted by police as saying that he didn’t properly apply the handbrake when he left his vehicle.

Via: JapanToday

Attack of the Androids!

Android robots like these freak me out. It’s a big step into the future of robotics, but they are starting to look like more and more real. These have cameras installed in their retinas so they can look at people walking by. They move a little (mostly or all in the face?), they talk, and who knows what the next step will be. Just be prepared for the future android invasion!

Mix these guys with the Honda Asimo robot and you’ve got some crazy functionality! (Or a step towards a real Terminator?)

And check out this crazy stuff… you can kiss a TV and the image reacts to you.

Kokeshi Doll: A unique gift idea.

If you’re visiting Japan and want to return home with something special and unique to Japan besides chopsticks or a Japanese folding fan, you might consider buying a Kokeshi doll as a present for friends and family back home.

Mio Matsumura Loves Kokeshi Dolls

Mio Matsumura Loves Kokeshi Dolls

Check out this site if you want to know more about what a Kokeshi Doll is. Here’s a quick summary though – There are two main styles of Kokeshi dolls. One is the traditional style, the other is the creative style where the artist can show more expression in his creation.

Kokeshi Doll Artist Making One Big in Japan

This one is huge in Japan!

The traditional Japanese kokeshi dolls are often linked to an onsen within the Tohoku region of Japan. They are given the following types of names which are spot on or closely related to the onsen name: Tsuchiyu, Yajiro, Togatta, Naruko, Sakunami, Zao Takayu, Hijiori, Kijiyama, Nambu, and Tsugaru.

Kokeshi Doll Collection

Kokeshi Doll Collection

Best bar closing time… EVER!

This closing time is can be either awesome, or trouble… but if you live outside of the city and miss your midnight train from Hakata, it could be a great place to hang out until the trains start running again at 6am… if you can stay awake.

Japan bar closing time

If you’re the only customer left, the staff will probably stay until you leave! (I’ve seen it happen before)

170% Coffee – No WAY!

Me and a (gaijin) friend of mine were heading to play some darts at Cybac and he handed me a can of coffee. The can said – Coffee 170%! No way can they fit 170% coffee inside a can that’s not 70% bigger! After some deciphering we decided it means +70% of the normal amount of coffee beans were used to make this delicious beverage. I’ve had conversations at a cafe while drinking hot coffee, but this is my first canned coffee conversation.

170 Percent Canned Coffee in Japan

170 Percent Coffee? I’m sold!

By the way… for those of you that order coffee online you can free shipping on most orders and get $5 off at ROASTe by entering a coupon code BLOGME5.

Sneaker Washing Machine

I saw this so I had to give it a shot! TWICE! At first I though hey, it’s a cheaper alternative than buying huge shoes (size 13-14) in America and having them shipped. The shoe washing machine has brushes that beat the hell out of your shoes, then a dryer that doesn’t work well. Maybe if I would have spent 1000 yen I’d have dry shoes, but I was too impatient.

Laundry Matt Shoe Machine

What a great idea! But after 2 washes it just gave me dirty wet shoes, that later smelled bad because of the moisture and humidity. Oops!

Magic slipper cleaning machine

Today I thought I’d show an interesting picture from my trip to the dentist. At the dentist you need to remove your shoes at the door, and wear (real small) slippers in the office, then once you leave you place them into this Star Trek style machine that has a mysterious blue light that magically cleans them (using ultraviolet light).

Dentist slipper cleaning machine

Just press the button to get your clean slippers, wow!

Blue light cleans your slippers

I dare you to stick your hands in there!

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